Remedies (was: SC - coffee/tea)--long

[david friedman]

At 9:46 PM -0500 2/2/98, Angelique wrote:

>So I'm not talking from any period knowledge
>base, here, just assuming that a period young woman might have done the
>same, were she schooled in how to make those 'tisanes', for household
>healing (Also, some are for general health, and could reasonably be
>taken with each meal, or daily). (And maybe they didn't call them
>tisanes,- Grandma did) And while I cannot vouch for periodicity, as I
>will determine the ingredients myself, using what I know will work and
>considering what is on hand, (much as I figure my period counterpart
>would do)if you would care to let me know what kind of remedy/healing
>property you would like to invoke, I will prepare a recipe for you.
>I do realise that these would probably not be used for a feast, as the
>remedy offered would have to change for each individual, depending upon
>their condition, ...
>
This reminds me of my favorite period chicken soup recipe, from Chiquart.
Don't blame me for the style--I just translated it.

65. And to give understanding to him who will make the restorative let him
arrange that he has a fair and large double flask of glass, as strong as
can be found, and then let him wash and rinse it very well and carefully;
and, being well washed, let him set it on a wooden trencher or little board
and have it held on this strongly by cords and ties. And then let him
arrange that he has a large well-fattened capon or two according to the
quantity which he wants to make of the restorative and let him pluck,
clean, and wash it very well and then drain the water off it very well;
and, being well drained, chop it very fine, the meat and the bones also all
together, then put it into the said flask, and three ounces or so of good
rosewater and also as much of fair fresh water and a little bit of salt,
and an ounce or more of fine pearls which should be put in a very little
bag made of fair and clean cloth of strong silk or linen, and also very
good, virtuous, valiant and worthy precious stones, that is diamonds,
pearls, rubies, sapphires, turquoises, emeralds, coral, amber, jasper,
jacinth, chalcedonies(?), onyx, crystal, chalcedonies, smaragdus [emerald?
malachite?], sardonyx, sard, chrysolites [peridot?], beryls, topazes,
chrysoprase, and amethysts, and all other good and virtuous precious
stones-of all these only those ordered by the doctor; and let them be put
together in another little bag made of white and clean linen cloth, and
strong enough that it will never break so that the stones cannot mix with
the said capon meat; and also with sixty or eighty or more pieces of fine
gold, ducats and jewels and other pieces which should first be very well
washed in three or four changes of lukewarm water, and very well dried off
with the corner of a very fair, white, and clean linen cloth, and then each
of the gold coins should be folded into a cylinder(?) so that they can fit
through the neck of the aforesaid flask; and put them in carefully and
gently and so that they fall into the capon meat so that they do not break
the said flask, and then stop it very well so that no steam comes out. And,
this being done, arrange that there is a clear, fair, and clean pot large
enough that the said flask can easily be put into it, and let the neck of
the said flask be tied to two sticks, and let the said sticks be tied to
the said pot so that when the water in the said pot boils the waves and
boiling of the said water cannot make the said flask move, shake, or be
thrown out of the pot; and then fill the said pot with fair fresh water and
then put it on a fair fire of coals and let it cook continually; and also
arrange that next to it there is another pot full of fair water and let it
be boiling constantly so that as the pot in which is the said flask boils
it can always be refilled with the said boiling water, because one who put
fresh water in would break the flask, and all the work of what is being
made would be lost. And when the said restorative is well cooked let him
arrange that he has a small piece of good board and let him heat it very
well close to the fire, and when it is sufficiently dried and heated he
should also have a little cloth and heat it well also, and then put it
folded several times on the said hot board; and then gently take the  flask
out of the pot in which it is and set it onto the said hot cloth and board
and let it cool there until he can hold it comfortably without burning
himself. And when it is thus sufficiently cooled let him arrange that he
has a good, new, fair, and clean strainer which has never been used before
and let him put it over a fair gold dish and empty onto it his restorative
which is in the said flask; and if one does not want to empty it quickly
let him arrange that he has a fair and clean  little wooden hook and stick
it into the said flask and draw out what is inside; and when everything is
out let him take his little bags of pearls and precious stones and the
aforesaid gold pieces, and then squeeze and twist what is left strongly and
properly in the said strainer; and, being very well strained and caught in
the said gold dish, let him empty it again into a gold pan and then carry
it to the sick person who should receive it and use it according to the
doctor's orders.

Elizabeth/Betty Cook


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